Poirier (CA/QC)

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Expérience 2
MUTEK
2018,
montreal

Esplanade de la Place des Arts
23/08/2018

From frenetic, synth-infused soca and spiked Afro-house to air-horn-ready dancehall stylings and leftfield electronic tapestries, Ghislain Poirier’s 15+ year career has covered a lot of bases. He tears through new genres constantly, leaving a trail of thumping rhythms and chaotic dancefloors in his wake.

A restless, forward thinking producer, Poirier has been a pillar and world renowned ambassador of Montréal’s electronic music scene since the early 2000s. Deeply involved in the city’s nightlife, he’s been responsible for some of Montreal’s most mythical soirees, including the legendary Bounce Le Gros (2005-2007) and Karnival (2009-2012) nights, as well as the ongoing Sud-West and Qualité de Luxe events—the latter shining a spotlight on a variety of African and Caribbean sounds. Poirier has always stayed a few intuitive half steps ahead of the rhythmic herd, with a pitch shifting catalogue that includes 10 albums released over a span of 15 years—eight as Poirier and two as Boundary, an evocative project of electronic chamber music launched in 2013. His effortless melding of disparate genres has led to collaborations with MCs and DJs the world over, in addition to longtime collaborators Face-T, Boogat and MC Zulu. Poirier also composed the score for Denis Côté’s Berlinale-screened feature Boris sans Béatrice (2016). His propensity for pulsating, pitch-shifting, infectious bass and synth patterns continually drives him to plant new flags on the global music map.

Unstoppable in his ability to mash styles, expand minds, and move crowds, he returns to the MUTEK punch bowl with an eclectic outdoor DJ set.

Pré Nocturne: Roland Showcase
MUTEK
2011,
montreal

Society for Arts and Technology [SAT]
01/06/2011

Drawing from a wide range of tropical riddims and urban electro, the power of Montreal-based DJ/producer Poirier’s bass blasts through any flimsy attempt to classify his music. Pinpointing the bits and pieces of dancehall beats, soca energy and electronic intensity is futile in the face of Poirier’s dance driven creativity and air horn-worthy excitement. Signed to Ninja Tune, this is a man who just understands what works in the dance.Poirier is constantly evolving. Landscapes of vibrant drums lead to pulsating, pitch-shifting, and infectious bass and synth patterns. He tears through new genres constantly, leaving a trail of packed, chaotic dancefloors in his wake. From his legendary Bounce Le Gros parties in Montreal, sell off events for two years running, to his new party, the bigger, better, bass-ier Karnival, Poirier has been unstoppable in his ability to mash styles, expand minds, and move crowds.

NOCTURNE 3: Bounce le Monde

MTELUS
29/05/2009

Few other Montrealers have played such a consistently evolving role in the Canadian development of forward-thinking hip-hop permutations, but then again few people can match Poirier’s intensity and work ethic.

Somewhat unexpectedly, his career got started in 2001 with Il N’y A Pas de Sud, a bristling and microscopic ambient album on Taylor Deupree’s 12k imprint. From there, he began opening up his sound, moving steadily into the hip-hop framework with albums on the experimental Montreal label Intr_version; Miami’s home of abstract hip-hop, Chocolate Industries, and the San Francisco ragga dancehall label Shockout.

An ambassador of all music brimming with deep bass, in 2007 he moved over the Ninja Tune, where his sound has matured into the popular and proudly Quebecois synth-infused soca and reggae hybrids he will bring to MUTEK_10.

EX-CENTRIS 2

Ex-Centris
30/05/2002

Newly-arrived in the minimal techno sphere, Ghislain Poirier has built himself a solid reputation by releasing his first recording on Taylor Deupree's label, 12k. This Montreal artist, not unlike Deupree at the beginning of his career, prefers controlled melodic spaces that are built carefully on throbbing but discreet rhythmic foundations. Ghislain relies on patience and a mastery of his diverse influences (minimal techno, funk, African music) to create a work that is sensitive and eloquent.